The AU Stories from the Ship List
by SRAM
Summary: This is a collection of stories from the list of stories from We-Built-the-Pyramids list on Tumblr. I don't know how many I will attempt, but there will be more than one. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

**SEND ME A SHIP AND A NUMBER AND I'LL WRITE A SHORT FIC**

**Number 31 - Prostitute/Client AU**

Penny got out of her car in the casino parking lot, it wasn't like she was going to have any fun, she was there to work and she hated her work. She couldn't believe sometimes how she ended up this way, but it was useless to try and understand it because how ever you looked at it, it came out the same, she was a prostitute. She wanted to blame Kurt who took her California in the first place, then cheated on her, or the Cheesecake Factory for not giving her one more chance. She wanted to blame the casinos for not giving her a job as a showgirl, when she first came there, and then cut her hours as cocktail waitress so much she couldn't survive. But the truth was when she needed money and a guy offered her a lot to sleep with her, she just took it, then took it again, until that was the way she made her money now, selling her body for cash.

Penny felt trapped, she needed money to live and she couldn't go back home, she would die if anyone back home would find out what she was doing now. The shame it would bring on her mother and father was something she could never bear, so it meant that she kept away from her family as much as she could now. It made it hard on her and it left her alone, a normal relationship hard for her imagine after accepting she would sell her body for cash. This was her life, letting men paw her then have their way with her, she learned to just turn them off in her mind, acting like she enjoyed it while silently hoping they were fast so she could go, it was the hell she lived in now.

It was also a dangerous way to live, between the sexually transmitted diseases and the crazies that came to that town, Penny had to be extremely careful. The diseases she could somewhat control, she carried the best condoms made and she avoided kissing them, it had worked for her so far, only a case of crabs the whole year she been doing it. The crazies where another story, some of them could kill you and she had left a couple of them cupping their nuts after they thought they could hit her. That was the reason she now came early, around dinner, trying to find guys there on business, by themselves that just wanted company, safe guys who would just screw her and pay her.

Penny walked up to the casino bar, the bartender she knew, his name was TJ and he knew exactly what she was doing, since he screwed her himself once before. "Hey TJ, how about a glass of wine." She then pulled out a Ten, because the casinos only gave free drinks to players and didn't even want prostitutes in their places.

TJ gave her a smile, that Penny knew meant he'd screw her anytime she wanted, as long as it was free. "Penny, why don't you save your money, the guy down at the end, has been sitting there an hour tonight, like he did last night, I know he is alone on business."

Penny nodded and just slipped the Ten to TJ as a tip, you always tipped the bartenders that would help you, they normally knew the crazies from the normal johns, that kept you safe and made you money. "Thanks TJ." Penny then headed to the end of the bar.

As Penny got near him, she could tell he wasn't too big, which made her relax, because even if he was a crazy she thought she could take him. He wore glasses, which was another good sign, and he seemed to be sober as he slowly played the video poker game set into the bar. However the closer she got the nicer he looked as she noticed his thick curly dark hair and facial features she thought were cute. So by the time she got up to him, looking at his nice ass on the stool, Penny hoped he would want her that night, something told her he would be nice.

"Excuse me….mind if I sit here." Penny interrupted him.

Leonard looked up from the screen and almost fell off the stool, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. "No…Please have a seat."

"Thanks, I just don't like sitting alone at a bar." She lied to him.

Leonard just nodded not knowing what to say.

"Hi I'm Penny." Penny offered her hand to him.

Leonard stared at her for a second before he took it and gave it a gentle shake. "Leonard…..Leonard Hofstadter."

Penny smiled, "Well it is nice to meet you Leonard….Leonard Hofstadter."

Leonard couldn't help but smile, she wasn't making fun of him she was just teasing him and being friendly. "Sorry I don't have many beautiful woman come up to me, I guess I'm a little nervous."

Penny took a breath, he was so cute and honest, could he get anymore adorable she thought. She had learned over the last year the best way to get them to buy what she was selling was to keep them talking with her, so they thought there was a connection between them. So since Leonard was gambling she thought maybe she would talk to him about that. "Having any luck?"

"Not really, if you play long enough the machine always wins." Leonard shrugged, "I just try to see how long I can make my money last."

Penny nodded, "Really the best odds are with the table games, Blackjack and Craps are the best."

"I'm not good at card games, but Craps is the one with the dice, isn't it." Leonard was now curious.

"Yes they use dice and you bet on the roll." Penny explained.

"Really, do you know a lot about it?" Leonard asked.

"Some, why would you like to know about it?" Penny was happy with his curiosity, it would build a bond with him that would probably make him want to have sex with her.

"Yes, I would." Leonard smiled, "Can I buy you a drink."

His smile was adorable too, and Penny just smiled back, "Thank you, I would like that." TJ was watching Penny work so when she looked at him she knew the guy was going to buy her a drink.

Penny and Leonard talked for a half hour about the game and some other things, that Penny wanted to know so she could feel safe with him. She was surprised he worked at a university, but shocked he was a PHD, it wasn't that he didn't seem smart, he actually did, it was that Penny had never been with someone like him before and she was surprised how nice he was. She was about to hint to him that she wouldn't mind going to his room when he surprised her again.

"Penny, I would like to give this Craps game a try. Could I ask you a favor, could you go with me and sort of make sure I don't get the rules wrong." He asked her.

Penny didn't normally waste time like that and she didn't gamble, seeing too many people loose their money at it, but she liked him and the night was still early, "Okay, but just for a little while."

Leonard smiled and nodded, "Great." Then held out his hand to help her off the stool.

His hand had a firm grip but it was soft, and Penny for a second actually liked the feel of it on her skin. They walked and continued talking as he bought chips then went over to a table that wasn't too crowded to begin to play. "Just watch how they bet and remember what I told you for a couple rounds to get use to it." Penny explained, "Ask me any questions if you don't understand."

Leonard watched for about 10 minutes, asking a question or two before he thought he was ready to go., he then split the chips and gave half of them to Penny. Penny stared at him for a few seconds confused, just looking at the chips he gave her, before he noticed her expression. "I just thought since you are helping me, we could both have fun." Penny just smiled and nodded to him.

The first couple of bets Leonard lost seeming to have a little trouble getting the hang of the game. Penny had won once and lost once, pretty much staying even, however, with the third bet things seemed to change as Leonard won four times in a row, tripling his money. The next hour was crazy, Leonard seemed to win two times to every time he lost and his chips seemed to get bigger and bigger as time went on. Penny was now betting with him and was getting pretty excited as her chips kept building along with his. He never bet too much and so their losses didn't seem to matter and they made money as they continued to play. Penny had lost count of how many chips they had, after a couple hours, when Leonard finally apologized for keeping her there so long. "Sorry, I guess I just got carried away."

"No, I had fun, thank you." Penny actually did have fun and as she looked at all her chips, she knew the man beside her was going to get a freebee tonight.

They both cashed in their chips, Leonard having about $2000 dollars and Penny $1500 for herself and she had yet to spend a second on her back. As a matter of fact she was having fun, it felt so strange to be doing that with a guy, it actually was exciting. Penny took his arm as soon as the cash was in her purse, thinking maybe she would give him a little reward for making her last couple hours fun and making her forget what she was for just a little while.

"Umm…Penny…..I was wondering." He started to ask, his nervousness now dominating him.

"What Sweetie." Penny gave him her best smile to help his confidence as she gave his arm a little squeeze.

"Well it is not 9 PM yet and I been wanting to see the show here. I was wondering if you would like to go with me…..my treat." His eyes had a pleading look that actually make Penny's heart melt.

"I like that Leonard." She couldn't help but smile at the adorable smile he flashed at her from her response.

The show was great, and Penny had a wonderful time, lost in just watching the show, again forgetting who and what she was. Penny hung on Leonard's arm as they left the show room, a strange happy feeling filling her body, she felt like she had been on a date, not a prostitute with a john and she knew she would rock his world when he bedded her that night. Penny never expected what would happen next, never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined this.

"Penny, I had a great time. I was wondering if I could see you tomorrow, maybe take you to dinner?" Leonard looked at her with eyes filled with hope.

Penny stared at him for a second, he was asking her on a date, he didn't even understand what she was, he was just being nice because he liked her. She would never date a john and she hadn't dated since she became what she was, she needed to let him down quickly and not too hard, she thought. "Okay." Penny couldn't believe she agreed, it was like her mouth wouldn't obey her mind.

"I could pick you up about 6." Leonard told her with one of his adorable smiles now on his face.

Penny thought quick. "I'm in this hotel, why don't I just meet you in the bar then again."

"Okay" again Leonard gave her that smile that tugged at her heart.

"Okay then, see you at 6." Penny then leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek, she swore his eyes twinkled. She then went towards the elevator bank that was on the opposite side from the one he went too, until she couldn't see him no longer and detoured to the parking lot and her car.

The drive home Penny kept telling herself she was stupid, she should have never agreed to see him again. He was just another john, a client, not someone to go on a date with, but then she couldn't help thinking tonight had been sort of a date with him. They gambled and went to a show, he was interesting and cute, plus she had fun and it seemed she didn't have fun anymore. She thought about it so much she was surprised when she found herself at her small trailer in the cheap trailer park, she didn't even remember making some of the turns to her park. It was worse when she went to bed, she kept thinking of him and how he would look when she gave herself to him and although it was preventing her from sleeping, she couldn't help the little smile that formed on her lips.

The meeting lasted to 4 and Leonard had rushed back to the hotel to change, so he had been down at the bar a little before 6, but now it was 6:30 and he thought he had been stood up. It wouldn't be the first time, but he actually thought she may have liked him, so he stayed 15 more minutes before finally getting up and heading back to his room. He had just gotten to the elevator when he felt the tug on his arm, turning to see a little flushed Penny, his heart skipping a beat on how beautiful she looked.

"Sorry Sweetie, but I went out for a few minutes and the car I have went dead, so I had to get a jump and hurry to get ready, making me late. I'm really sorry and I will understand if you want to skip dinner." Penny thought they could just go upstairs and I will make it up to you.

Leonard gave her that dazzling smile again. "No that's fine, I've had that happen with rental cars before too. You look so beautiful, I have to take you to dinner." He then offered her arm which she quickly took.

Penny then noticed what he was wearing, he was in a sport jacket and tie and she couldn't help to notice how cute he looked. She now wondered where he was taking her being dressed so nice and she was happy she always wore a nice dress when she worked. She should have known he would take her there, it was a very nice restaurant on the top floor of one of nicest hotels, the view from the floor to ceiling windows, of Las Vegas, was breath taking. Even though she had lived there for almost two years, she could take her eyes away from the lights and the beauty of it all, it was like the first time she saw it for real.

Leonard smiled, the view was beautiful and he wasn't even looking out the window, she seemed like an angel to him and he was so happy to be with her. "I hope you like this, they tell me the food is good here."

Penny tore her eyes from the view and looked at him, it made her smile, "Thank you Leonard, this is wonderful." She reached over on the table and gave his hand a squeeze.

The rest of the night was amazing, the view, the food and the man across from her, made Penny feel special, she hadn't ever been on such a romantic date in her life. She also couldn't remember what is felt like to crush on a man again, he was interesting, nice and made her laugh, he was sort of perfect. They held hands as they walked back out to the car and when they finally got back to his hotel it was almost 10 o'clock, and all Penny could think about was taking him to bed.

But Leonard surprised her again. "Penny, I was wondering, I like to see you again. Would you like to get together tomorrow evening and sort of just see the strip?"

Penny smiled, "Yes I would like that." She then noticed he looked like he wanted to say more. "What is wrong Sweetie."

"Please don't take this wrong, you look beautiful in dresses and heals. But I was hoping we could just walk down the strip tomorrow, you know sort of casual." he hoped she didn't get mad at him.

Penny giggled, "I have some jeans and sneakers with me, is that okay."

Leonard nodded and smiled. "Is 6 okay again."

Penny gave him a smile, "6 is great. See you tomorrow Sweetie." Penny immediately leaned in again and gave him a longer kiss on the cheek. She then headed to the other elevator until she couldn't see him again, then made her way back to the parking lot and her car. The whole ride home to her trailer she just sang to the songs on her radio and that night she even didn't consider if she was doing anything wrong, she just cuddled her pillow making believe it was Leonard and fell into a deep and restful sleep.

The next day Penny was early, and as she drank a diet Dr Pepper, she saw him come in the bar area, the smile on his face becoming huge as he laid his eyes on her. "Hey you." she greeted him as he walked up and she tried to hide the smile as she noticed him checking her out, because she wore her best cutest jeans just for him. No sooner than he stopped in front of her, she leaned over and kissed his cheek, getting the adorable smile from him that she so loved.

"Hi, you are even gorgeous in jeans." he complemented her.

Penny smiled, "As long as you don't walk behind me to check out my ass." she teased. Penny turned and then stuck her butt out a little, "Take a good look at it now, because after that I want you walking besides me all night." she then gave him a fake glare to make sure he knew business.

Leonard both smiled and blushed, "It sure is perfect."

"Aww Sweetie." Penny then turned and gave him another kiss on the cheek, grabbing his arm as they walked out the hotel doors to the strip.

For the first hour they just walked around, Penny had been in all the hotels but only the bar and room areas so she really didn't know much about what they offered in entertainment. It actually depressed her when she realized that except for Leonard, all she had seen was the bars and the rooms, going back to her trailer after some guy had his rocks off in her. But that is what made Leonard different, she couldn't think of him as a john, he was her date and he treated her like a princess instead of a tramp, it made her smile and she surprised him by planting another kiss on his cheek as they walked. They stopped at a strip restaurant, at one of the casinos, and had a light dinner, then resumed their walk, now stopping every so often to see what was offered in each casino. Penny found one with a high tech gaming area, knowing, from talking to Leonard, he liked that kind of stuff. She happily went in with him, knowing she would be bored, but glad she could do something that he so much enjoyed. Again he surprised her, there were many games where two or more could play and she found herself enjoying herself as she competed against him in everything they played, like racing motorcycles against each other or playing combat games to shoot each other. The hour seemed to fly by and true to his promise he only stayed an hour, taking her back to see another show she noticed along the way of their walk.

It was just pass ten when they returned to the hotel, their feet a little tired but their souls filled with happiness. It was just inside the doors to the side that he kissed her, not on the cheeks but fully on the lips, it surprised her at first, but at the same time it sent a chill through her and she found herself pressing her body close to his. It only last for a short time, but when they separated they were breathless, and suddenly Penny knew she was beginning to care for him, it scared her.

"Penny." he whispered.

"Yes Sweetie." she whispered back

"I only have meetings in the morning tomorrow. Would like to get together at lunch as sort of spend the day together?" a hopeful look in his eyes.

Penny smiled and nodded, "Noon in the bar?"

Leonard smiled, "Noon in the bar."

Penny drove home that night concerned about how she would feel when he left. She hugged her pillow again pretending it was him, but she slept off and on the whole night, knowing already she was going to miss him when he left. The next day she hurried to make sure she got there before noon, deciding to just enjoy their remaining time together.

They ate lunch in the hotel restaurant, Penny wearing jeans and sneakers again like Leonard requested. It was during lunch he began to tease her. "I have a surprise for you."

Penny stopped eating, if there was one thing she couldn't take was surprises, her curiosity would always drive her nuts until she found out the surprise. "Leonard, don't do this to me, I'm not good at surprises." She whined.

"Well you are just going to have to wait." he teased.

Penny's face turned into a pout. "Leonard Hofstadter you are the meanest man I have ever met." her voice sounded like a little child. It made some people in the table next to them, that couldn't help but overhear, start to laugh, immediately making Penny blush and whisper, "Now see what you did." she teased.

"Nope, still not telling you, so eat you lunch or no surprise." he said with a wicked grin, he was obviously enjoying himself too much at her expense.

Penny tried several more times to get him to spill it during lunch and bugged him several times as he drove out of the Las Vegas city limits. "So the surprise is you are kidnapping me." she teased him after they had driven for about 20 minutes.

"No, but don't give me ideas." he joked, "We're here."

Penny looked at the sign as they turned onto the road to the facility, and she gasped as she finally understood his surprise. "You're taking me horseback riding?" she looked at him stunned.

"I hope you like that, you seemed to miss it when you told me about how you did it back home." he looked at her hoping he did right.

"Oh Leonard." Penny practically jumped out of her seat and put her arms around his neck to hug him, making him slightly swerve the car as he regained control. "I can't believe you are taking me horseback riding. Thank you, thank you so much."

"Well to be fair, you will be horseback riding and I will just be trying to not fall off." he gave her a worried smile.

They spent the whole afternoon there at the ranch, and Leonard never fell off once. He actually learned to walk the horse around pretty well, but wouldn't run or gallop his horse, so he just sat on his while Penny galloped all over the field. They also walked their horses side by side down a little trail, for a little while, it was so peaceful and quiet, Penny couldn't help feeling that it felt like when she was home. Their last hour there they just sat on the bench drinking waters while watching the horses eat in the field.

"Thank you Leonard." Penny said while laying her head on his shoulder.

Leonard chuckled, "Your welcome." lifting his arm to put around her while she scooted closer to him. "I'm glad you liked it."

"Liked it!" Penny gave him a big smile. "It is the nicest thing anyone has done for me in a long while." She then gave him a kiss on the cheek.

They didn't see the owners wife walk up to them as she watched them cuddle on the bench. "You kids are adorable, have you been married long?"

Penny and Leonard looked back at her then looked at each other, not knowing what to say, the silence dragging awkwardly on, until Leonard because of his manners gave her a response. "We're not married, we are good friends."

Penny nodded, "Good friends."

The woman gave them a little knowing smile, "Sorry, you both just seemed….never mind, come back anytime." she then went by them to the barn.

Leonard gave Penny a look, "Maybe we should be heading back and get some dinner."

Penny nodded, "Okay, all that riding made me starved." she gave him a little giggle, but it was forced, she kept thinking what that women said to them a minute ago.

They talked all the way back and all through dinner, but Penny couldn't get her mind off the woman's words. This afternoon had been wonderful, she hadn't felt so good since she left home and as she looked at Leonard across the table, she knew it was going to hurt when he left. This was only the fourth day with him and she felt she knew him forever, how could she be so comfortable with someone in such a short time.

"Penny are you okay?" Leonard said, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Sorry, just thinking…..about work back home." She lied.

"You have to stop that, you are on vacation, so shut you mind off and just have fun." he scolded her playfully.

"Your right, I'm sorry." She gave him her best smile as they ate their dinner and continued talking. She thought he was right, stop thinking about it and just have fun.

When they walked out of the restaurant, that was off the strip, Leonard stopped, making her stagger as she grabbed him to not fall. "What's wrong?"

Leonard smiled at her, "Sorry, but look at the movie theater, they are playing that movie you said you wanted to see."

Penny looked at where he was pointing, "Oh, Yeah, I love her movies." Then she looked at him confused. "Do you like her too?"

Leonard smiled and shook his head, "Nope, but I do like sitting in dark movie theaters with my arm around girls."

Penny giggle, "Okay, I can do that." Then she gave him a wicked grin, "But no sex in the seats." He didn't know she wasn't serious, she would do him in the theater if there weren't too many people and he wanted it.

Leonard held up his hands, "Okay no sex in the seats, but I do want to cuddle."

Penny held out her hand to shake his, "Agreed."

The movie was a lot like other romantic movies, girl finds guy, then looses guy, then they find each other again at the end. Penny cried a couple times while she was under Leonard's arm nuzzled into his side, him giving her a squeeze everything she sniffled. It had been a long time since she had enjoyed a movie so much and she knew it wasn't because of the movie, it was the company. They walked back to the car hand in hand and then back to the hotel the same way, once inside kissing each other again, this time longer and deeper.

They were just standing there with their foreheads touching after the kiss when Leonard asked her. "Penny can I as you a favor?"

"Sure Sweetie." Penny whispered.

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to." He explained.

Penny wondered if he was asking her up to his room because the answer was yes if he was. "Oh, I'll probably do it. What do you want."

"They are having a formal dinner and get together Saturday night, a sort of post meeting type thing. Black tie and everything, it is sort of tradition after this meeting. I was wondering if you would go with me."

"With dancing?" Penny asked, she was definitely going, she just wanted to know what shoes to wear.

"Yes, but I'm not a very good dancer." he confessed.

"That's okay, I am Sweetie, so I'll take care of you." Penny was a little excited about it and about seeing Leonard in a Tux.

"Penny I can you buy you a dress, since you probably don't have something for a formal outing." Leonard offered.

Penny smiled, "I'm fine Sweetie, I have a dress already." Penny had a couple of formal gowns for when she would do escort work for out of town business men. She would go to a party with them then do them that night till they rolled over and fell asleep, so she could go home. Penny now didn't want to wait till he asked her about tomorrow, "Tomorrow in the bar at 6?"

Leonard gave her a smile. "Yeah, that would be great."

That night Penny lay in bed just thinking about her day with Leonard, it had been perfect, if anything was bad about it, it was that it went by too fast. It was getting hard for her to walk away from him at night when they departed company now, she even wished she was in his arms right now. The last four days with him had been some of the best of her life and she had to admit she was head over tails for him. Then reality hit her, he was leaving Sunday, Saturday would be her last night with him and then he would be gone, it wasn't fair. She looked around her little bedroom in her little trailer, thinking about what she did for a living and realizing she lived in hell. It just wasn't right that she would be given a glimpse of heaven with him, just to be returned to hell and she rolled over in her bed squeezing her pillow the tears rolling down her face as she tried to wipe her mind blank so she could sleep.

The next day Penny got to the bar in the casino a half hour early sitting at a table nursing her drink while she waited for him. She had been so excited to see him all day that this last half hour was driving her nuts, her desire for him was fueling the sexual component of her being. It was when she saw him come in the door the dam effectively broke, she just wanted to take him up to his room and spend the night in bed with him, pleasuring him like he never been pleasured before. She knew he would only have to touch her to to give her pleasure, Penny squeezing her legs together knowing she was already wet and ready for him.

He smiled as he saw her and quickly approached the table she was at, grabbing her hands as she stood up, then planting a kiss on her lips that only made her want him more. She was about to suggest they go to his room when gave her a even bigger smile and began to speak, "Penny, I got tickets to that big show you said you like to see. If we hurry and eat dinner we can just make it."

Penny was disappointed and a little bit sexually frustrated, she hadn't actually wanted to have sex with a man since she became a prostitute so wanting Leonard was something new and exciting to her. However, she was still going to spend the evening with him and she still badly wanted that, so she gave him her best smile. "Really Sweetie, you shouldn't have. Come on lets eat quickly so we aren't late." Penny then grabbed his hand and led him to the restaurant.

The show was even better than Penny had been told and being cuddled under Leonard's arm the whole time was just perfect. She didn't get to have sex with him that evening, but she was more than satisfied being with him that whole night just enjoying themselves. So when they got back to the hotel at 9:30 she was a little surprised when he wanted to call it a night. "Tomorrow at 6 in the bar." She told him again.

"I can't tomorrow Penny. The last day of the seminar we do lectures on our specialty in the evening, so I will be presenting my lecture on laser efficiency tomorrow night." he said sadly.

"Oh" Penny couldn't believe how disappointed she was, she thought she would have two days with him, now it was only one. "You guys just give lectures to each other on the last day?" she asked just trying to the keep the conversation going, because she didn't want to leave.

"No, we give a public lecture at the university for students, professors and the public." he explained.

Penny perked up, "I'm the public, could I come to your lecture?"

Leonard looked at her in surprise, "You want to come to my lecture describing methods to increase the efficiency of lasers?"

"Yes, I want to see my boyfriend's lecture." Penny immediately regretted the words after they had left her mouth as she stared at him, terrified at what he might say next.

A smile formed on Leonard's lips, "Okay, but I am not promising you will not be bored." Leonard then took Penny to the coffee shop and spent the next 20 minutes telling her times and places, while giving her directions to get to the parking and lecture hall that night. Penny drove home that night proud of herself that she figured a way to spend another night with Leonard, she had only two left and she didn't want to loose a single one.

Friday night Penny sat at the back of the lecture hall, it was huge, probably large enough to seat a couple hundred people, and all night it had remained over half full. Penny was surprised so many people were spending their Friday night listening to the lectures which she felt were boring, boring not because of their content but because Penny didn't understand most of what was said. After over an hour she was now leaning on her arm trying to stay awake, the people speaking on the podium speaking what she considered a foreign language to her. He eyes had just closed, when the moderator announced the next lecturer and Penny shot up fully awake as Dr Leonard Hofstadter came to the podium.

Penny couldn't understand most of what Leonard's was saying either, but she wasn't bored, no not bored at all. It made her tingle inside on how professional and confident he was in front everyone, speaking about something that was obviously important to everyone else in the large lecture hall. She was so proud of him and she was so proud he was hers and even though she didn't understand him she hung on his every word. When he finished she knew she clapped harder than anyone else in the lecture hall and she even saw his eyes look at her, a small smile coming immediately to his lips, making Penny feel all warm inside.

It was almost 9 when Leonard met her outside the lecture hall a large smile on his face to match her own. Penny gave him a kiss and a hug when he got up to her, "Leonard you were so great up there."

He chuckled, "So you liked my lecture?"

"It was the best one of the night." She proudly said.

Leonard smiled, "Was it because of research or the experimental data conclusions, that make you say that." he teased.

Penny looked down, blushing, "Because you were the cutest one on the stage." she confessed.

Leonard chuckled, "Well you were the prettiest in the audience…..and the loudest."

"Stop" she playfully swatted him, blushing again, then wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him hard.

When they separated they were both breathless and it took a second for Leonard's mind to clear, "Um…I didn't really have much to eat tonight, are you hungry."

Penny caught her breath a second later, her mind now on something other than food, but in no place to act on her current urges. "Yeah, I am a little."

They went to one of the restaurants in one of the casinos, the ones that stayed open all night and ate and talked to well over midnight. Penny tried to think of a way to casually get into the conversation that she would sleep with him, but they got involved in other interesting things she never had a chance. However now she could see how sleepy he was and felt sorry for him, unlike her, who did almost nothing all day and slept late, he had been putting in a full week working plus going out with her. "Sweetie, you look dead on you feet."

"I'm sorry, it just has been a long day. I guess I'm a wimp when it comes to staying out really late." he gave her the cutest smile, Penny couldn't think of anything better than curling up along side him in bed.

"Well why don't we call in a night then. I'm tired too." She lied, she would ride him all night if he wanted.

"Okay" Leonard paid the waiter and they walked back to the elevators. "Penny do you want to get together for lunch maybe tomorrow, before the dinner?"

Penny would have loved to do that but the risk of her getting caught was too high. She knew they would stay together, in the afternoon, till the last possible moment before they got ready for the party and it wouldn't give Penny enough time to go across town to change and back. "Sweetie, you know how us girls are, I will be in the beauty saloon probably all afternoon. All us girls like to look our best when we go to a formal party. You'll just have to wait till we are ready to go to see me. It will be a surprise."

Leonard smiled, "Okay, I love surprises." He gave her a kiss at her elevator and then went to the other side of the hotel to his room elevators, giving her a little wave before he left her view.

Penny's mind was on one thing all the way back to her trailer, she was bedding Leonard tomorrow after the party. She was not letting him go without sleeping with him, she had never wanted a man so bad as she wanted him. She was not going to take no for an answer, she would be as forward as it required to let him know she was his for the taking and even if that didn't work she would just tell him she wanted him. It was a relief to know she was going to do it that Saturday night and she felt like a school girl going to her first prom.

Penny had arrived early again at the bar looking for him, the excitement in her for what they were doing tonight almost too much for her to bare. She had been real careful getting ready that afternoon, making sure she looked pretty by not slutty, because she was too use to looking a little slutty for clients whenever she dressed up for escort work. However she was a little self conscious as she walked into the bar, noticing all the men undressing her with their eyes as she tried to find a corner table to wait. It made her so nervous that she got our her mirror to check that her make up didn't make her look like a hooker, because that's what she actually was. Her concern for how she looked made her not even notice Leonard walking in and to her, until he spoke. "Penny you look stunning."

Penny looked up and gasped a little herself, he looked so handsome in his Tux and Penny couldn't help thinking of James Bond as she stared at him. Leonard gave her his hand to help her up and she put her arms around his as she walked out with him, never noticing every guy in the bar area looking at them wishing they were Leonard, even TJ as he watched them go. Penny was surprised when Leonard lead her to a limousine, the driver opening the door for them both as Leonard helped her in. "Leonard a limo?" she blurted out as soon as he was seated and the door closed.

Leonard smiled, "The hotel is providing it, they like our business, during our yearly seminars so they offered the limo for the party. I get it now and a couple other couples get it after us. It will also take us back later."

Penny smiled, wondering if she would be able to wait till they got to the room later, driving in a limo alone on the way back and him looking like that. "You really know how to impress a girl, Dr Hofstadter."

The seductive way Penny said his name sent a shiver down Leonard's spine and as he looked at her, he thought she was the most beautiful creature to ever to have walked the earth. "Um…I guess you are the first girl I've ever wanted to impress." he answered honestly.

If they weren't going to a formal event, Penny would have given herself to him there, she felt like jelly, the way he looked at her, it wasn't the look of lust, it was the look of love. She gave him a little kiss, then carefully wiped the lipstick she deposited on him, off his face. Touching him sending shivers through her body again and making anticipation form in her core about being with him later that night.

The dinner was wonderful, the food delicious, especially being there with Leonard. It seemed everyone knew him and he must have introduced her to a hundred people, names she would never remember, but all of them nice to her. She even met the Mayor of Las Vegas and she wondered to herself how the Mayor and his wife would have liked it to know they had shaken the hand of one of the local prostitutes. The socializing was nice but the dancing was better and Penny really enjoyed dancing with Leonard, especially the slow songs where she got to hang on his shoulder. He wasn't a experienced dancer, like he told her before, but he followed her lead well and after a while he was doing okay, enjoying himself almost as much as her. Penny was wearing dressy flats she had bought especially for this night, because they were easier to dance in and because she didn't want to be taller than him. They were especially nice when she slow danced with him, allowing her to perfectly mold her body to his while her head rested on his shoulder, her eyes closed just taking in the feel and scent of him. She felt like Cinderella at the princes ball, not the hooker at the party of important people, it was so magical, it was like a fairy tale.

Penny and Leonard were taking a little break from dancing and Leonard had just gotten them drinks when everything came crashing down. "Hofstadter you dog."

That voice, Penny would never forget, it sounded like the cartoon Elmer Fudd and Penny remember when she heard it last, about 4 months ago. The man walked up to them a smirk on his face as he leered at Penny and almost laughed at Leonard. "Hofstadter, I always thought you were too much of a stuffed shirt to bring an escort to one of these events."

Leonard was so confused, even more than usual when he talked to Barry Kripke. "Barry what are you talking about." Penny just stood there stunned.

"Come on Hofstadter, I know she is a hooker. It took me all night to recognize where I knew her from, but I finally figured it out. I did her four months ago when I came down here for the Physics professor exchange thing." Barry then gave a little smug laugh at Leonard.

Leonard stared at him, "Barry you are wrong." he then looked at Penny to see tears forming in her eyes.

"Leonard I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you before, but we were having such a great time together and I didn't want it to end. I'm so sorry." Leonard just looked at her in shock, and it was too much for Penny. She put her drink on the table and hurried out of the room to the outside, seeing the limousine they came there in, sitting outside waiting. "Could you give me a ride to the hotel?" she barely got out.

"Of course ma'am. Will your escort be coming with us?" the driver said while opening the door for her.

"No, he has to stay and I'm not feeling well." She lied. The driver just nodded, closing the door and driving her back to the hotel.

Leonard stood their stunned, she was a hooker, he had been with a hooker all week, how could he have not seen it. He looked at Barry, "You slept with her?"

Barry laughed, "Of course, I paid her and screwed her brains out. How much did she charge you?"

Leonard looked at him, "Nothing."

"Nothing? Really! What were you doing, dating her?" Barry laughed.

It was like a light went off in his mind, Leonard looked at Barry, his anger now taking control. "Yeah, I was dating her, you asshole." Leonard now looked around for her and noticed she wasn't anywhere in sight. He quickly went outside to see if she was there, only to find she was completely gone.

Penny looked like a monster when she finally entered into her trailer, her crying making all her makeup a mess on her face. She could barely take her clothes off, she was trembling so hard from her grief and after barely cleaning her face, she dropped into her bed, her crying starting all over again. All she could think was, it wasn't fair, she had just one more night with him, why did it have to be ruined, she was going to loose him the next day anyway, why did this have to happen. Penny sobbed her eyes out into her pillow, she knew it was more than this one night, she was in love with Dr Leonard Hofstadter.

Leonard finally found the limo driver and found out Penny was taken it back to the hotel. He spent almost an hour at the check-in desk finding out she was never checked in the hotel and had never been. It seemed that she had disappeared off the face of the earth and Leonard didn't know what to do. It was past two in the morning when he finally sat at the bar and ordered a beer, thinking maybe he should just drown his pain that night away in alcohol. It was when the bartender gave him his beer he recognized the man. "You were working when I first met Penny?"

"I'm sorry sir you much be mistaken, I don't know anyone named Penny." TJ answered.

Leonard pulled a hundred dollar bill out and put it on the bar still looking at TJ, "Penny the blonde pretty woman, it was Sunday evening."

TJ reached and took the money. "Now that you mention it, I think I do remember you with a pretty blonde young woman."

"Look, I know she is a prostitute and I know bartenders know everything that is going on in their bar. I need to find her." Leonard told him.

"I don't know sir, she just looked like some girl, I don't know what she does for a living." TJ didn't know what this guy wanted, but he was an outsider and Penny was a local.

Leonard put two more hundreds on the bar, then just stared at TJ. TJ looked at the money and then at Leonard, he saw him and Penny walk out together dressed like they were going somewhere, hell he was even still in a Tux. TJ took the money, "What do you want to know about Penny."

Leonard smiled, "Her address would be nice." TJ looked a little reluctant, but after Leonard put two more hundreds on the bar, TJ told him everything he knew about Penny, including where she lived.

Penny hadn't fallen to sleep until she cried herself to sleep at about 4 in the morning. So when she heard the knocking on her trailer door she just moaned and rolled over, hoping the person knocking would soon get tired and just move on. However the knocking didn't stop and after about 10 minutes it got really annoying, so Penny got up to see who it was. She put her robe over herself and then opened the door a crack, keeping the safety chain in place, the person she saw making her eyes go wide and her jaw slightly drop.

Leonard was scared, but seeing her gave him confidence, he didn't want to loose her. "Penny, I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

Penny blinked a couple times, then closed the door to take off the chain so she could open it wider. "Leonard…..Leonard what are you saying?" she was so stunned she was babbling.

"Penny, I was just stunned last night. Barry is an ass. I can't tell you how sorry I am for not reacting quickly and doing the right thing. But once I was back to thinking straight, I looked for you, looked for you until I found you. Penny can you forgive me."

Penny just looked at him and nodded, "Leonard, you have nothing to be sorry about, it is all my fault, I should have told you. I'm so sorry I deceived you."

"Penny can you just answer one question for me, honestly, no bullshit." Leonard looked directly into her eyes.

Penny nodded, "I will try, no bullshit."

"Where we dating or was I your client?" Leonard looked again directly into her eyes, Penny thought he could see her soul.

"I'd like to think we were dating. The first night when I met you, I thought of you as just a client, but after we spent the evening together, that changed…I never asked you for money for sex, while we were together." Penny was about to cry again.

Leonard nodded. "Penny I think we need to talk. It is breakfast time, would you go to breakfast with me?"

Penny stared at him for a second then reached out to take his hand, which he willing gave her. She pulled him into her trailer and sat him down in a seat. "I'll only be a few minutes, can you wait for me?" Leonard nodded. Penny hurried getting ready and dressed, all sleepiness gone from her body as her heart beat hard and fast.

They talked in the restaurant while they ate and then for another hour just sipping coffee. Then they went down to Lake Mead and walked along the shore talking some more. Penny told Leonard everything about her, this time the truth, and he listened to every word, never judging her. They ate dinner together and Leonard never went home to Pasadena that night, even though he checked out of the hotel that morning. He stayed the night in Penny's trailer, holding her all night as they slept, then calling the University in the morning to tell them he was taking a week off on vacation.

It was Monday night when they first had sex, then every day after, Penny couldn't get enough of Leonard it seemed. They spent the rest of their time seeing all the sights in the area, things Penny never saw before, it was wonderful to her, seeing them with Leonard, it seemed like a honeymoon to her. But after a whole week together, Saturday came around and it was time for Leonard to leave. Penny turned her trailer key in to the trailer park owner, everything she wanted in Leonard's car, as she rode back with him to Pasadena. That night she slept with him in his bed, wrapped in his arms, she was living with him now and she was in love.

It was two months later when Penny got cast in a national commercial that ended using her for 6 more follow on commercials. Three months after that Penny and Leonard got married in Nebraska, her father giving her away. As Penny lay tired and satisfied in Leonard's arms, after several hours of making love, on her honeymoon night she smiled, she had left hell for heaven and she had never been happier in her whole life. She rolled in Leonard's arms and kissed him, curling up against his chest, closing her eyes, falling fast asleep.

**THE END**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This short story is its own story and not part of the previous story, so don't expect it to be a continuation of that story. I hope you enjoy it, there is so much chemistry between Leonard and Penny, sometimes these stories just write themselves.**

**SEND ME A SHIP AND A NUMBER AND I'LL WRITE A SHORT FIC**

**Number 37 - Meeting in prison AU**

Penny started her long climb up the stairs to the guard tower, like she had done for almost every day for the last six months she had been there. It wasn't that it was hard on her physically, she was probably in the best shape she had ever been in her life, but sometimes the monotony got to her, day after day. But who was she really kidding, it wasn't actually the monotony that made her depressed to go on duty in the guard tower, it was actually, that for eight hours each day, she would need to control herself, control herself from killing them all.

The climb took a couple of minutes and Penny divorced herself from the work of climbing with a backpack on and a rifle over her shoulder, as she thought back to just three years before. The four young woman, all in their 20's, Penny only 21, who decided to join the Marines and have an adventure. They had been guaranteed assignment in the same unit, and with a lot of difficulty the Marines kept their promise, but the girls never fathomed what it would be like to serve in the Middle East. Though they all trained hard, how do train to survive an IED (Improvised Explosive Device), you couldn't fight it, because it didn't give you a chance, it was one of the horrors of war, they read about but soon got to experience first hand. All four of them had been in the HUMVEE, but Katie was in the wrong place, the blast happening under her seat crushing her against the roof, the only good thing about the whole episode was it occurred so fast Katie didn't know what was happening to her.

They were all hurt in the blast, Penny's leg being completely broken a few inches above the ankle, the doctors not even sure they could save it. So after a year in country, all three of the girls were sent home to an Army hospital to recover, get well and then get reassigned. That is what found them here, at Guantanamo Bay, they were finishing out their enlistment as guards at the prison, none of them wanting to stay in the Marines anymore after loosing Katie, the adventure of it all still bitter in their minds. She wished she could cope like Amy and Bernadette did about Katie, getting back into their college courses, pursuing the degrees they would soon have when they got out, but Penny was never good at school, so she just drank to cope. It helped make her forget and the pain to go away, but then every day she had to go back to the tower, to guard the people who were responsible for her friend's death. So Penny wanted to kill them all, wanted to sit in the tower and shoot everyone one of terrorists in the yard, with her rifle, she was a great shot and she knew she could get them all before they got up into the tower to stop her.

Penny was so deep in her thoughts that it surprised her when she got to the top, however that surprise turned to disgust, when she met the man she was going to relieve. Kurt was one of the big mistakes that happened when you drowned your sorrows in booze, she woke up one morning in his bunk and regretted it ever since. Even now as she approached him, for her shift change brief, she could see the smirk on his face, because like he told all the guys in the Company, he did that. So she just sucked up the urge to throw him from the tower and just blankly looked at him, "What is going on Corporal?"

"Aw babe, why be so formal. You know we could have a little fun up here before I go." Kurt wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Corporal, you will address me as Sergeant, and if you don't want to be written up for sexual harassment, I would shut your mouth now." Penny said in her most commanding tone, it was the only comfort she got around him, she was a Sergeant and he was only a Corporal, so she out ranked him.

"Yes Sergeant." Kurt spit out, he couldn't afford another sexual harassment complaint on him and she knew it, he would be a private before morning if she turned him in.

Penny grabbed the binoculars and looked down at the yard, so she wouldn't have to look at him while he briefed her. He really didn't have much to tell her and she listened to anything important he had to say as she scanned each of the terrorists that she wished she could just kill. Penny was just about finished scanning them all when she stopped to look at one detainee and just stood there in shock, her eyes going wide. "What the hell, Kurt!"

Kurt looked at her in surprise as she whipped around and took two steps toward him, she looked like an animal ready to kill. "What?" He asked suddenly a little worried.

"There is an American down there in the yard with those terrorists!" Penny spat out, "Are you people crazy!"

Kurt sort of relaxed, he had thought he had done something wrong. "Yeah he came in last night and they had him in a barracks by himself, but it came down we didn't have to treat him special so we just put him in the exercise yard with everyone else."

"And who's stupid idea was that? Those scum bags down there believe in killing everyone who doesn't think like them, especially Americans, did you guys ever think about that?" Penny was still shouting.

"Calm down, BJ authorized it and he outranks you, so chill. Plus he has been out there for over an hour and no one has bothered him." Kurt acted like she was crazy as he dismissed her concern.

Penny tried to control her breathing, this was so ridiculous she couldn't believe it and it figured BJ would authorize it, he was the stupidest Captain and Company Commander she had ever met since she joined the Marines. But her anger wasn't over, she looked back up at Kurt and hissed. "Get the hell out of here before I hurt you."

Kurt snickered at first at the humor of the 5 foot 7 inch woman taking on him, but looking into her eyes, it suddenly didn't seem so funny anymore. The look in her eyes said 'KILL' and Kurt knew she had a hot temper, plus he was convinced she was slightly crazy, so he decided maybe it was better he left before something did happen. "Yeah, well you have fun." Kurt then turned and headed down the stairs.

Penny watched Kurt leave, suppressing the strong urge to hurt him, knowing that if she did, like her friends said, she would be put in the hospital for PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Disorder). She needed to put it out of her mind so she quickly got her equipment out of her pack and got set up for her shift. However the man out there alone with THEM, brought back memories of Katie, so Penny went back to balcony of the tower to look back down at the yard with the binoculars. The man was keeping to himself and she thought he looked scared, she knew she would be if she was him, and she couldn't help the feeling growing inside her to protect him, especially from THEM. Penny got her rifle, a SDM-R (Squad Designated Marksman Rifle**), **sighted in specially by her for her, and locked the bolt back, then inserted a loaded magazine in it, they weren't allowed a loaded round in the chamber, but all she had to do was hit the bolt release and it would be ready to go. She pulled the scope covers off and then checked to make sure the scope was dialed in for the range the yard was at. That was all she could do, as she settled in on the seat positioned against the rail with her binoculars, her rifle laying against her leg, and watched.

Leonard was terrified, he had never been to prison, much less one that was filled with terrorists, if was like a nightmare coming true. He had tried to keep to himself all morning, but he still couldn't help seeing the eyes of the other inmates looking towards him as they talked among themselves. He couldn't understand what they talking about but their nodding towards him to their friends and the sneers on their faces made him understand they were talking about him.

Leonard cursed himself for ever getting into this mess, he was so pathetic, he should of known a pretty girl like Joyce Kim was after him for a reason. He did report her after she took the rocket fuel, he brought to show her, and they did catch her before she left the country, but he still had committed a crime and was expected to pay. He actually knew the Government had let him off easy, only six months in prison to teach him a lesson, a misdemeanor instead of career ruining felony, plus he would still have his project when he came back, the Government still needed him. But being sent here was not what he expected, especially now being in this pen with these men who obviously hated him.

Another hour went by and Leonard, felt the men in the yard were looking more and more at him, making him extremely nervous. They were suppose to be in the yard another hour and Leonard found he kept watching minutes go by on his watch, pleading for them to go faster, he never had been so scared in his life. He was just looking at his watch, when he heard the shout and looked up to see the men fighting in the other corner of the yard, he was just memorized by the scene in front of him, like the guards watching the yard. Leonard, along with his guards, didn't see the two men moving slowly towards him or the makeshift knife the one had is in hand before it was too late. Leonard raised his arm to try and protect himself, temporarily blocking the mans swing, but getting stabbed in the forearm, it only saved him for a second as the mans second jab put the knife deep into Leonard's shoulder, the pain so intense, Leonard screamed.

Then everything seemed to happen in slow motion, Leonard could see, through tear filled eyes, the man bring the knife up again, and in his mind Leonard knew he was going to die. Then as the knife started to come down, the man's head exploded, it was the last thing Leonard remembered before he passed out. The man's body fell to the ground, the knife falling out of his hand, and the man who had come with him reached for the knife to finish the task.

Penny centered the cross hairs on the second man's head as he picked up the knife, gently squeezing the trigger as she been trained, not even registering the recoil of the bullet leaving the barrel, as the second man met the fate of his accomplice. Her mind and eye were now completely focused on the view through the scope, as she scanned for other threats, subconsciously biting her lip as she tried not to just kill them all in the yard. She kept telling herself 10 feet, anyone within ten feet of the poor man, they would die, and with that restriction in her mind she just kept scanning the yard, her finger on the trigger of her rifle.

The yard was in full lockdown now, prisoners on their bellies, their hands on their heads, while guards poured in to secure the situation. The scene was quickly cleared, the prisoners herded into their barracks and Leonard rushed to the post infirmary, while the two bodies and the area around them secured as a crime scene. It was only after Leonard had been taken out of the yard and put into an ambulance, that Penny relaxed, taking the rifle off her shoulder and putting it against her leg again, while she wrapped her arms around herself and began to sob.

The next several hours Penny spent in an interrogation room as she gave her statement over and over to the interviewers. She had started her shift at 1000 hours, the incident ending at 1115 hours and now it was 1600, Penny had spent over fours hours being interrogated and it was not over yet, she had to see her Company commander next. So Penny entered Captain Brandon Johnson's (BJ) office, coming to attention and saluting as she stood before his desk, Johnson watching her with distain. "Sergeant who in the hell do you think you are!" he shouted.

"Sir, I don't understand."

"You think playing stupid will get you out of this, you are dreaming. You killed two men without permission, you are in big trouble Sergeant." BJ spit out. BJ was an jerk, that is why everyone called him BJ behind his back, because the term BJ had something to do with dicks and BJ was the biggest dick anyone there had ever met.

"Sir they were killing that man." Penny shot back.

"So, that is not your problem. You were there to make sure they don't escape, not shoot them in the yard. You screwed up big time." BJ still was yelling.

"Sir they were attacking an American." Penny responded.

"That doesn't make a difference, they are all here because of terrorism, he was no better than the rest of them." BJ told her.

Penny suddenly questioned her actions, was the man just another terrorist? She didn't know what to say, did she really just kill those men because she wanted to kill them or was she really trying to save the other man. Did she kill two terrorists to save another, suddenly Penny felt sick.

BJ saw the confused look on Penny's face, "Sergeant, you are going to pay for this. You will be taken to the brig, under arrest, until we determine what we are going to do with you. Now I…" BJ's next sentence was stopped by the loud knocking on the door. It only made him more pissed, because he told no one to interrupt him, and he stormed to the door to admonish the person who had the nerve to disturb him.

Penny wanted to cry, but would not let herself cry in front of BJ, he was an asshole and she would not look weak before him. She was also in a little pain, she had been standing at rigid attention since she walked in, BJ keeping her that way to make her more uncomfortable as his yelling went on, it was obviously a form of punishment. However Penny was now getting to the point that she didn't care anymore, let them lock her up, what hell did it matter anymore.

Penny jumped when she heard BJ yelling again. "What the hell do you want Lieutenant, I told everyone, I didn't want to be disturbed."

The Lieutenant swallowed, "Sir the General is here." Then the Lieutenant opened the door a little more so BJ could see Major General Scott staring at him.

BJ now swallowed, opening the door all the way. "Sir, I didn't know you were coming."

"I'm here to find out what the fuck happened here, Captain." The General was pissed, which was obvious to everyone around him.

BJ actually felt lucky, because he had his scapegoat standing in his office right now. "Sir please come in and I will fill you in."

The General, followed by a Major and Captain, went with BJ back into his office and BJ closed the door behind them. "Sir, this is the Sergeant that shot the two men in the yard without getting authorization. I have ordered her locked up until charges are presented against her." BJ said with a satisfied smirk.

The General looked at Penny then back at BJ. "Charges? I'm recommending this Sergeant for a commendation, she seems to be the only one in your command that has a pair."

Penny's eyes went wide at the same time Captain Johnson's did. "Sir I….I don't understand." BJ now stammered.

"Captain who put that man in general population?" The General asked, holding his temper in check.

"I did sir, he came in late last night." BJ was now trying to justify his actions.

"Did you read his package?" Everyone could see the General was getting more pissed.

BJ now looked scared. "Umm…..I didn't have time, they called me at the barracks to tell me he showed up, so I just followed SOP."

"Your Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is to just put new people in general population, without finding why they are even here!" The General's voice got higher.

"Yes Sir." BJ was now scared.

"Who's stupid idea was it to make that SOP." The General demanded.

BJ swallowed, "Mine Sir."

The General just stared at him, then said in a tone that left no question what he wanted, "Captain wait outside while I talk to the Sergeant."

BJ swallowed again. "Yes Sir." BJ then left the room.

The General then looked at the Captain that came with him, "George, watch him. I don't want him going anywhere, until I talk to him later."

The Captain nodded, "Yes Sir." Then followed BJ out the door.

The General now looked at Penny. "At ease Sergeant." Penny immediately going into a more comfortable parade rest. The General then walked over and pulled up a chair to the front of the Captain's desk, "Please sit down Sergeant." Penny just did as told, as the General went to sit in the Captains desk chair. The Major with him then sat in the couch against the wall.

"Sergeant, so you took it upon yourself to be Dr Hofstadter's guardian angel today?" The General began.

"I'm sorry sir, who?" Penny was confused, she didn't know the man's name.

The General chuckled, the first humor he showed since he got there, "The man who owes you his life, is one Dr Leonard Hofstadter. And I like to thank you for the Marine Corp for saving his life today. His dying would not have been good for the Marine Corp or the US Government in general."

Penny was now confused. "Sir is he a terrorist?"

"No Sergeant, he is not, he is on our side."

"Then why is he here sir." Penny was now more confused.

"He is being punished for being stupid, but he was only suppose to go to the minimal security section, not here. The Government wanted to put him someplace where he wouldn't be around real criminals and get in trouble." The general then shook his head in disgust. "Some one screwed up big time and I will have some scalps on my belt before this is over." The General said those words as a promise not a threat.

Penny just nodded, a small warm feeling flowing through her that she did the right thing, she saved some one from the terrorists, she wasn't just a killer. "Yes sir."

The General looked at her for a few seconds, thinking, before he made up his mind. "Sergeant, there is a theme in stories that if you save a person's life you are now responsible for them." He stopped to look at Penny to see if she understood what he was saying, and was pleased at the curious look she gave him. "So Sergeant, I want you to be responsible for Dr Hofstadter while he is here."

"Sir?" Penny was surprised, no shocked was a better word, "Me Sir?"

The General couldn't help but smile at her response, he liked this Marine, she seemed like just the person he needed to make sure Hofstadter survived his stay. "Yes, You. I consider this a personal favor if you would take this assignment, but understand this, you have to volunteer, I will not force you to do something I consider important." The General's serious demeanor was now back in place.

Penny was overwhelmed, 'Personal favor', how could she say no. "Yes Sir, I volunteer sir."

The General smiled again, "Good, very good Sergeant. You are now assigned to me and will report to Major Evans or me personally, if she is not available." The General nodded over to the female Major sitting on the couch who just nodded. "Your job is to make sure no harm comes to Dr Hofstadter, and if anyone gives you a problem, you contact Evans or me. Understand Sergeant?"

"Yes Sir. Sir I have a question." Penny was nervous.

"Yes Sergeant."

"Sir am I suppose to watch over him, 24/7 by myself?" She cautiously asked.

The General got a big smile on his face and nodded to Evans who also smiled. "Good catch Sergeant. Pick two people you trust to help and provide their names to Evans. They will also be assigned to me."

Penny knew exactly the two people she was going to choose, Amy and Bernadette, the three of them would easily keep Hofstadter out of trouble. "Yes sir, I already have two in mind, Sergeants Rostenkowski and Fowler." Penny noticed the General nodding to the Major and the Major writing the names down.

"Is there anything else Sergeant?"

"No Sir, I won't let you down." Penny sincerely told the General.

The General smiled again and nodded. "I believe you Sergeant. Go with Major Evans and she will give you a staff cell phone and numbers to call if you have problems with anyone. Also here is Dr Hofstadter's file." The General handed Penny the file. "Read it and get familiar with him, then give the file back to Major Evans." The General stood up and Penny and Major Evans stood with him. The General then put his hand out to Penny, obviously to shake it. "Sergeant welcome aboard. Go with Major Evans and she will take care of all you need." Then the General got serious again, "Joan, take care of her and send George and our Company Commander back in so we can talk."

Penny and Joan then both came to attention and saluted the General both saying, "Yes Sir." After the General returned their salute, Penny did her best about face and followed the Major out of the room.

As soon as the Major left the room she went over to the Captain, "George, the old man wants to see the Company Commander." The Captain nodded and BJ just swallowed hard like a man going to the gallows.

The two captains entered the office and the Major started to talk to Penny when the shouting started from the office. Everyone outside the office, eye's went wide, before the Major looked at them and they all went back to their work. The Major and Penny then left the room to go back to the headquarters area to get Penny everything she needed.

Leonard slowly woke up from his surgery, even though the knife wounds didn't hit his organs, they cut deep into the tissue and the doctors had to open the wounds and sew the cut layers of muscle and tissue back together again. As Leonard's eyes focused he started to make out a person standing over him, staring intently at him, and for a moment her beautiful eyes made him think he had died and was now looking at an angel. However slowly his senses returned and he realized he was in a hospital bed and the woman looking at him was a soldier. His next thoughts were that he was happy to be alive and he couldn't understand how it happened.

"What happened?" He asked his companion

"You are out of surgery and in stable condition. No serious damage done." Penny responded.

"That is easy for you to say, you weren't stabbed." Leonard responded.

Penny sighed, "Yes you are right."

"Are you my nurse?" Leonard asked

"No, just the guard. Do you need something?" Penny was more than a little concerned. She couldn't help the feeling that was growing in her that she was responsible for him and him needing something suddenly became her greatest concern.

"No, I can't feel where they stabbed me, so I guess that they still have me very medicated. I'm okay for now. Thanks for asking." A very small smile formed on Leonard's lips directed at her.

Penny swallowed, she didn't expect him to be so nice and easy to talk to, she was confused about her feelings about all this now. "The nurse said when you woke up that you shouldn't be in any pain for a few hours, so everything you said seems normal at this point." Penny hoped she didn't sound like she was rambling.

"Good….Good…" Leonard close his eyes and immediately fell back to sleep. Penny was told that by the nurse too, that he would probably fall asleep again after he woke up, so everything was normal. Penny sat back down in the chair near his bed just looking at him, a strange feeling in her gut she couldn't explain, when she heard the soft knocks on the door to see Amy and Bernadette looking through the door window. Penny immediately got up to go to her friends in the hall, she had called them only an hour before so their appearance was anticipated.

Once outside the room, Penny turned to her friends. "Hey Guys."

"Penny what is going on. The whole Company is going crazy, they said the General fired BJ and some Captain from Headquarters is now temporarily in charge. We also heard you had to take out two terrorists in the yard….. Are you okay?" Amy said everything so fast the words almost ran together. Amy looked into Penny's eyes and got the answer she needed, moving close to her friend and taking her into her arms as Penny sniffled.

Bernadette moved in close too, rubbing her friends back. "Honey we're here, everything will be okay." she sweetly said trying to comfort her friend.

They all stood there a couple of minutes, until Penny finally composed herself and lifted herself off of Amy's shoulder. "Are you going to be okay Penny?" Amy cautiously asked.

Penny nodded, "Thanks I needed to get that out. I'm better now." She honestly responded.

"What happened Penny." Bernadette cautiously asked.

"That idiot BJ put a minimum security American prisoner in with those low life's we guard and they tried to kill him, of course." Penny spat out.

Amy shook her head, "Why would they do that?"

Penny nodded, "That is what the General couldn't understand. BJ really screwed the pooch this time."

"You were there!" Bernadette asked in surprise.

Penny nodded, "BJ called me in to chew my ass and then lock me up for an unauthorized shooting."

"Really!" Bernadette looked surprised at her words.

Penny nodded again, "I was so screwed, then in came the General and suddenly, I'm a hero."

"You are shitting me." Amy responded.

Penny chuckled as she thought back, it was really funny when she thought about it now. "Nope, the guy they were trying to kill, was some big deal, and BJ did something stupid that put him in the situation, so BJ was punished and I was given a pat on the back."

Amy snickered, "Yeah that and a dollar will get you a cup of coffee."

Penny got serious, "Well not exactly, there is more and it involves you guys."

"Okay, involves us good or involves us bad?" Bernadette asked cautiously.

"I guess it depends. The General asked me to take personal care of him until he leaves in 6 months." Penny nodded to the door. "I told him I couldn't do it 24/7, so he said to pick two people to help, that I trusted." Penny cocked her head to one side, watching her friends, as what she said sunk in.

"Minimum security, huh. And it would be just the three of us?" Amy asked.

"I'm in." Bernadette quickly said, making Penny smile.

"Yeah, me too. You guys would get in trouble without me." Amy added, getting a even bigger smile from Penny.

Penny felt really good inside, the best she felt all day. "Okay why don't you come in the room, he is waking up off an on, but I want you to meet him as soon as you can." She then lead them to the room.

The girls talked quietly for the next half hour, while Penny gave them more details about her day. So it was a surprise when Amy looked at the bed to see the man looking their way at them. "Penny." Amy pointed to the man in the bed.

Penny got up and walked over to the side of the bed as the other two girls came up on the other side. Leonard was confused and seeing three pretty girls around his bed in Marine uniforms was even more confusing. Leonard looked at Penny, he remembered her, "I don't understand what is happening?"

The confused expression on his face was adorable and Penny couldn't help as pure compassion come out of her tough Marine exterior, "Sweetie, we are your security detail."

Leonard looked from Penny to the other two girls in bewilderment. "So I did die and this is heaven?" All three women broke out in giggles, feeling like girls again, instead of Marines.

Leonard was released a week later, to a cell in the minimum security area, guarded by his own private guard of female Marines. The other prisoners and guards teased Leonard about his situation, but no one messed with him, Penny making sure everyone knew, what a revengeful sadistic bitch she could be if anyone screwed with him. The other guards especially had respect for her, because by now every guard knew it was Penny who took out the two terrorists in the yard with head shots, she was a legend among the guards.

It was at first simple, Leonard was in a cell and during the day, Penny took him out into a yard for exercise and to meals making sure no one came around to bother him. However after the first week, Penny couldn't stand seeing him in the yard alone just sitting and reading a book, he looked so little and alone out there, it actually bothered her. It seemed so boring to her, and while she could talk to other guards, he only had her to talk to and was locked in the yard by himself, she couldn't even imagined how he felt. So one day while he was in the yard, she left her gun belt at the security desk and went out in the yard with a basket ball to join him. It took her almost 20 minutes for her to convince him but eventually they both spend the rest of the afternoon shooting hoops.

It was the beginning, and as Penny spent more and more time, actually with Leonard each day, it became enviable that after a few weeks they became friends. The other two girls, also after knowing him for weeks, also became close to him and soon they too became his friend. So it wasn't long afterwards that Leonard, now as their friend, began helping Amy and Bernadette with their plans for degrees and actually got them both preliminarily accepted into UCLA when their enlistments ended in 7 months. Penny however was special and since she worked the day shift guarding him, they spent a lot of waking time together. It was one thing to guard him, another thing to spend hours with him talking and doing things together.

They had started taking long walks during the recreation period, since Leonard had his own guard, he was able to wander around with his guard along side him. They also talked, talked a lot, and as one month turned into the next, Penny opened up to Leonard, telling him all that was bothering her and even crying once after she told him about Katie. Penny never met someone like him before, he was sweet and gentle, extremely smart and just a really nice guy, she had never felt closer to a man in all her life.

It was after almost three months had gone by that it happened, and Penny knew she was screwed. She had began to take Leonard to the gym as she worked out and it wasn't long before she had him working out too, them both spotting for each other while the other lifted their weights. Then two weeks later she had him on the track too, starting to run with her, it was becoming like they enjoyed just being together. Then it happened, one day as they both walked back side by side to the jail after a hard work out, Penny instinctively took his hand and held it as they walked, not even realizing what she was doing until almost back inside fence. The realization of what she did hitting her like a slap as she stopped outside the fence just staring at him, releasing his hand.

They just stood there looking at each other for over a minute, until a curious guard came out of the building to see what was wrong. "Sergeant is there a problem?"

It broke Penny from the trance, "No, the professor here was just telling me something." Penny then gave the other guard a false chuckle, everyone knew Leonard in the minimum security area and they all called him the professor.

"Okay, just checking. Hey professor how much weight you pumping."

Leonard chuckled half heartedly at the man, "I'm only up to 150, the Sergeant still has almost a 100 on me."

The guard chuckled and gave them both a wave as he went back in the building, leaving Penny and Leonard to just stare at each other again. "Leonard, I…."

Leonard knew she didn't know what to say so he thought he would try to lighten the mood, "Everything is cool, you just wanted to make sure I didn't run off."

Penny smiled, "Like you could run from me." she teased him. "No Leonard, what I did was wrong and I can't do that again."

Leonard nodded, "I'll make sure to tell you if happens again."

Penny wanted to tell him it wouldn't happen again, but she actually wasn't sure, "Good, thank you." Penny then took Leonard back to his cell, excusing herself to get a shower in the locker room. She stood in the shower a long time trying to think of what just happened and no matter how she twisted it in her mind, it always came out the same way, she liked him, really liked him a lot. She had not felt that way about any other man like the way she felt about him, and no matter how she tried to convince herself any other way, she couldn't deny she cared for him. She also realized the last two months she couldn't wait to get to work to see him and she had recently been stopping by to see her friends there, while they worked, just to see him more. Penny rubbed her face letting the water pour over her, it was so wrong what she was doing and feeling, but she didn't want it to stop.

The next two months it was worse, Penny got closer and closer to him, not even trying to keep it professional between them. They would laugh and carry on, when they walked and when no one was around, she would instinctively reach for his hand like a girlfriend would. There was even the moment during the fifth month, when the day had been so wonderful and they found themselves alone, that Penny kissed his cheek and gave him a little hug. It was that day that Penny finally understood and it was that day she became scared, because Penny realized she loved Leonard.

However even though they had talked so much over the months and practically told each other their life stories, there was only one thing Penny kept from him and that was she was the person that saved his life the first day in the yard. She didn't want to think about that day anymore and the time she had been with Leonard had made her think about the future, a future where she didn't want to kill them all anymore. Still she didn't want Leonard to know how she was before, she wanted him to only know her now, she was different now and the difference was because she was around him.

So it was only two weeks before Leonard was scheduled to be released, when playing Chess with Bernadette late one evening, that things started to come out. "You really stink at Chess." Bernadette teased.

"I don't stink at Chess." Leonard said defensively

"Checkmate." Bernadette giggled.

Leonard looked at the board, trying to find a way out, then sighed, "Yeah, I stink at Chess." he admitted. "But in my defense, you play very aggressively."

"Yeah right, you know Penny, Amy and Me tell each other everything and I know both of them beat you regularly too."

Leonard chuckled, he had no defense, "Yeah, I really do stink." Bernadette giggled at the funny face he made.

"So what are you going to do about Penny?" Bernadette looked at him a very serious expression now on her face.

Leonard was taken by surprise, "What do you mean?"

"Come on Leonard, you know how close the three of us are. I have never seen two people, even married people, so in to each other, and you both never even had sex yet." Bernadette told him

Leonard blushed, then looked at her, "You know you are a prison guard and I am a prisoner, you are suppose to be guarding me, not setting me up with your girlfriend."

"Yeah right." Bernadette looked at him seriously. "Leonard everyone knows this is one of the easiest jobs in the Marines, guarding you. If the General didn't like that Penny saved your life, we wouldn't even be here and…" Bernadette stopped when she saw Leonard's eyes go wide. "Uh Oh" Bernadette said under her breath.

"Penny shot those two men in the yard?" Leonard asked incredulously

Bernadette just slowly nodded, afraid to open her big mouth again.

Leonard sat back in his chair, "I guess even knowing you girls were Marines, and were in the Middle East, I guess I never considered you killed people."

"Well just Penny, Amy and I never…." Bernadette covered her mouth, what was wrong with her, suddenly she had diarrhea of the mouth.

Leonard stared at her again, making Bernadette want to hid under the table their chess board was on. "How many people has she killed?"

Bernadette wanted to run, but Leonard's stare kept her seated in place, she took the cowards way out. "I don't know."

It was so easy to see Bernadette was lying, "Bernadette what happened?"

Bernadette sighed, "She told you about the IED and Katie, right?" Leonard nodded. "The HUMVEE was blown through in the back on the side Katie was on, but the top of it was pretty much okay, so when the terrorists tried to press home an attack, Penny stood up in the gun turret and opened up on them with the M2. What a 50 caliber heavy machine gun bullet does to a human body is indescribable." Bernadette got quiet, obviously thinking back.

"I'm sorry Bernadette." Leonard didn't know what else to say.

Bernadette shook her head, "Nothing to be sorry about, it happened, Katie died and we lived. It sucks but we have to go on living, for her, you know, and never forget her."

Leonard nodded, "Can I ask you something, Penny said she broke her leg in two and she showed me the surgery scar, how did she stand up?"

Bernadette shook her head again, "I've got no idea. She was in the back on the other side and saw what happened to Katie, they were talking and Penny saw her die. She let out this horrible scream then the next thing I knew she was in the turret firing, maybe it was adrenaline or just plain hate, but she did it, somehow she did it." Bernadette then looked at Leonard, "Leonard, she was messed up for a long while, and she even told us she thought about killing all the terrorists in the yard from her tower, but knew she couldn't do it. That has all changed since she met you, she is better, she is back to herself again." Leonard just nodded.

It was the next day after their morning jog, that Penny and Leonard found themselves just walking around the track. Leonard looked at Penny, who had a smile on her face and he thought he could finally say what he been thinking about all night. "Thank you Penny."

Penny gave him a little smirk, "For making you exercise."

Leonard shook his head, "No, for saving my life."

Penny's smile dropped as she stopped and stared at him, her breath coming in gasps. "Why…..How…Who told you?"

"One of the guards." Leonard sort of lied, Bernadette was actually one of the guards.

Penny thought she should have realized one of those bastards would tell him. She looked at Leonard, he was such a nice guy, really innocent to the world, why would he want someone who was a killer. "We need to get back to the compound."

Leonard was surprised at her response, "Penny please talk to me, I didn't mean to upset you."

"Leonard we need to get back, you promised on the first day you would do everything we say without question, are you now going to give me trouble." Penny said harshly.

Leonard looked at her and shook his head, quietly following her back to the compound. They never said a word the whole time and after Penny made sure Leonard was locked in his cell she left to sit in the monitor room. The rest of the shift she sat there watching the monitor of his cell, watching him, trying to keep her face impassive, trying not to cry. Bernadette knew something was up when she relieved Penny, but Penny just briefed her and left, not saying a word when Bernadette asked her what was wrong.

Bernadette and Leonard talked a lot that night over a Chess board that none of the pieces seemed to move all night. It was almost 2200 hours before Bernadette got a call to answer the phone, and she left him, to find a upset Amy on the other end of the line. "What the hell happened to Penny." Amy asked Bernadette

"Leonard knows about Penny saving his life and thanked her this afternoon, she has been acting weird ever since." Bernadette told her friend.

"Weird doesn't even describe it, Bernadette she went to the NCO club and got drunk as a skunk, then got into a fight with that goon Kurt. She is seriously messed up, she has never done shit like that before." Amy explained.

"Oh my God." was all Bernadette could say at first, then "Amy how bad is she hurt."

"She has a broken nose, bruised ribs and black eyes. They are going to keep her a day or two in the hospital, to make sure she will be okay. It is hard for her to breath, especially with her ribs and nose being both damaged at the same time."

"I swear to God, I'm going to kill Kurt. Wait till I get my hands on that bastard." Bernadette was practically shouting on the phone, she was so mad.

"Well you are going to have to wait till he gets out of the hospital, she broke his jaw and cracked his ribs, plus he may never have kids again." Amy told her friend.

"Oh!" Kurt's condition being worse than Penny's calmed Bernadette down some. "How much trouble in Penny in."

"None I think. Everyone said Kurt started it. What I heard was that Penny was drunk as hell, and Kurt thought she was drunk enough to screw him again. Well he was wrong and she told him where he could put his stuff and he got pissed and grabbed her ponytail to force her to kiss him. She kicked him to get him to let her go and then all hell broke loose, they beat the crap out of each other." Amy explained.

"Crap." Bernadette was impressed but still worried for her friend. "Did they arrest her?"

"No, but I understand Kurt is going to the brig after his hospital stay, for attacking a superior, starting the fight and overall misconduct. He was already on thin ice, so nobody I've seen, at the company, cares much what happens to him. The new Captain was even been here, checking that Penny was okay, he never went to see the condition of Kurt." Amy explained.

"Amy she needs help." Bernadette knew Penny had been a mess since the Middle East, the only person that seemed to be helping her was Leonard.

"Yeah, I know, I thought she was getting better ever since Leonard. She seems to really care about him." Amy went quiet for a second, "Bernadette I think she loves him."

Bernadette looked around to make sure no one was listening, "Amy, I'm almost positive she does. I've never seen her so happy when she is around him anymore."

"Yeah, I've seen how she looks at him." Amy sighed, "I'm going to spend the night with her, but I'll relieve you about noon."

"Okay, let me know if there is any change." Bernadette hung up.

It was 0900 hours, the next day, and Bernadette had just finished eating breakfast with Leonard, when Major Evans showed up unannounced, surprising Bernadette. "Is there something wrong, ma'am?"

Evans nodded, "You know Dr Hofstadter has been helping with the rocket fuel experiment, by computer, on at an unclassified level, since he got here?" Bernadette nodded. "Well they had an accident and blew up the test chamber, while tweaking the classified formula. So to make a long story short, his sentence has been reduced by whatever time he has left, for good behavior, and he is being released, to go back and fix the problem. There is a C-130 on the pad being held for him, so they want him gone today and on his way back." Bernadette looked at the Major in shock. "Is there a problem Sergeant?" Evans was now concerned that something had happened that she didn't know about.

Bernadette got control of her feelings, "No ma'am."

Evans was confused, but happy to hear that there were no problems. "Okay, then get him processed out as soon as you can and get him to the airplane ASAP."

Bernadette nodded, then went to attention to salute the Major, "Yes Ma'am." Evans returned the salute and was about to leave, but then turned. "You Marines did a good job, I'll make sure the General knows." Evans then nodded to Bernadette and left.

Leonard was straightening his cell when Bernadette suddenly appeared again. "Leonard, pack up you stuff, you're leaving."

Leonard looked at her is shock, wondering why they were moving him and were was Penny. "I don't understand."

"You have been released. You are free. We need to get you processed out and on a plane quickly because it is waiting." Bernadette quickly explained.

It was so much to take in at once and so unexpected, however it only made Leonard think of one person, "Where's Penny?"

His question caught Bernadette off guard and she didn't know what to say, so she lied, "Penny has a cold, but I will let her know you are leaving, maybe she can see you before you go."

Leonard sadly nodded, then turned to start packing his stuff into a duffle bag, Bernadette had gave him a moment ago. The two of them spent the next two hours getting him processed out and it wasn't till Leonard was getting his release physical that Bernadette was able to get to a phone. "Amy?" She practically shouted when someone said 'Hello'.

"Yeah, Bernadette, is everything alright?" Amy was immediately worried.

"Amy, what condition is Penny in?" Amy looked over at Penny who was in the hospital bed with her eyes closed, a towel with ice in it on her forehead, making soft moaning sounds every so often.

"She is back with the living, but the only thing she has said is 'please shoot me'." Amy explained.

"Amy, listen closely…" Bernadette then explained what was happening.

By the time Bernadette was done, Amy just sat their in shock. "Okay, I'll tell her, but Bernadette, I don't think they are going to let her out of the hospital." Amy then hung up, sighed, and got up to walk over to Penny's bed. Amy then leaned down and shook Penny.

"Leave me alone." Penny moaned.

Amy swallowed, then quietly whispered to her. "Penny, Leonard is leaving today."

Penny's eyes opened to slits so she could look at Amy, "What?" she whispered back.

Amy knew now she had her attention, "They released Leonard, some emergency back where he works, they need him, so they are sending him home today. Bernadette says as soon as he gets done with his physical, they sign the release papers and he is off to the plane."

Penny's eyes got wider, about as wide as they could with being swollen, then tears started to form in them. "No." she whispered. Penny tried to get up then folded over in pain, gasping, as Amy went down to a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Penny, are you okay?"

"It hurts Amy and I'm so dizzy." Penny whimpered.

"Penny, you can't leave the hospital." She told her friend.

"I have to…..Leonard." Penny pleaded.

"I'm sorry Penny, you are not winning this one." Amy then called the for the nurse so she could give something to sedate Penny.

Leonard stood in base operations with Bernadette, waiting to be called to the plane, a sad look on his face, like he had just lost his best friend, which was close to what was actually happening. Bernadette didn't know who she felt sorrier for, him or Penny, because it the last 24 hours she realized something she probably should have understood earlier, they were both so obviously in love with each other. "I'm sorry Leonard, but she was pretty sick, I even think she was going to the hospital." she lied.

Leonard looked now more concerned, "The Hospital?"

Bernadette quickly recovered, "Yeah, don't worry, she will go just to get stronger cold medicine, they don't offer us anything over the counter here stronger than aspirin, so we have to go to the hospital to get real medicine. The Marines you know."

Leonard nodded, slightly relieved but still sad because she wasn't there. However that lasted only a couple seconds as Leonard suddenly turned when he heard the operations clerk call his name to board the aircraft. He turned back to Bernadette, a lost expression now on his face, as he realized he really had to go. "I guess I have to go."

Bernadette nodded, "Leonard this is not goodbye, you set us up at UCLA in a couple of months, so we'll see each other again." Leonard just blankly nodded. Bernadette gave him a small smile then pulled him down to plant a kiss on his cheek, as she whispered into his ear, "You'll see her again, I promise you, even if I have to hog tie her myself and deliver her to your door."

Leonard pulled back a small smile on his face. "Thank you Sergeant."

Bernadette smiled back, "Hey no more Sergeant, you are a free man now, so you can only call me Bernadette." Then she got serious, "You have everything, our email addresses and stuff, right?"

"Yes….Bernadette, I have it all in my bag and I will contact you as soon as I get settled back." Leonard then got serious. "I can't help think, it was extreme good fortune to get locked up here so I could meet all three of you."

Bernadette felt her eyes water up. "Stop Leonard, or you will have me crying and Marines don't cry."

"Dr Hofstadter, are you ready to go?" The clerk asked him.

Leonard nodded then leaned over to Bernadette to whisper in her ear, "You three are the most amazing Marines, Women, People, I have ever met." He then kissed Bernadette's cheek, stood up, turned and followed the clerk to the door and out to the aircraft.

Bernadette got out her handkerchief to dab her eyes, from the tears that didn't seem to want to stop. She couldn't see the tears in his eyes as he walked out to the airplane, fighting his heart that just wanted him to run back to find Penny. The plane left shortly after Leonard boarded, Bernadette watching until she couldn't see it anymore, and as she was about to leave the flight operations center, a private approached her, "Sergeant Rostenkowski, you have a phone call."

Amy and Bernadette sat in the room while Penny slept, she wasn't in any danger, they just wanted her to stay in the hospital for a couple days so that they could give her pain medication for her swollen face and the pain from her bruised ribs, from the night before. It was a little after 1800 hours when Penny woke from the sedative she was given, acting a little loopy from the medications she was on. "How are you feeling, girl." Amy asked.

Penny smiled a goofy smile she always had when she was drunk. "Not too bad. I think the doctors gave me the good stuff." she then giggled.

Amy smiled at Bernadette, who just nodded. However Penny, even in her happy state, noticed that both girls were there. "Who is watching Leonard?" her face now full of concern.

Bernadette sighed, it was hard to understand the feelings, but she found she missed him too now that he was gone. "Penny, Leonard…..Um…..Leonard had to…." Bernadette never finished.

"Oh my God, he's gone." Penny's eyes went wide as it came back to her.

Bernadette nodded, and once she saw the tears forming in Penny's eyes, she couldn't take it anymore, so she sat on Penny's bed and leaned down to take her friend in her arms as they both cried on each others shoulders. Amy just watched them, tears now coming down her cheeks, Leonard had become their friend and his leaving did hurt. Amy sat down on the bed too and put her arms around her two friends as all three girls let their sorrows out, they had not cried like this for a long time, not since they had met in the hospital they were in, one day, after Katie died.

The next month was rough on Leonard, he had contacted Bernadette by email a few days after his return, but even though he emailed Penny she wouldn't return his emails. Bernadette told him the truth about everything that had happened and that Penny felt she wasn't good enough for him and when he tried to tell her she was, her email account was closed, by her. So now after a month his only information about Penny was what Bernadette told him second hand.

The last week though had been worse, the girls discharge had been moved up and they were being processed out that week, so Leonard had lost all contact with them. Bernadette told them they would show up during that week and Leonard had the apartment on the fifth floor all set up for them, the security deposit and first months rent paid, the apartment furnished with rental furniture, he had one of the women at the university help him pick out. The only thing that worried him was if Penny would actually come there with Amy and Bernadette, and how he would find her if she didn't.

It was with those thoughts about the girls that Leonard trudged up the stairs to the fourth floor, to his apartment, mentally tired and worried about what to do next. He lived in apartment 4B now, because Sheldon told him he couldn't live with a convicted criminal and he would have to move. However when he reached the fourth floor landing, he felt his heart would explode from his chest, because sitting outside his apartment on her duffle bag was Penny. He stopped and just stared at her, hoping beyond hope that she wasn't some illusion his tired mind had dreamed up, but as she stared back at him, he realized she was real.

Penny stared at him then took a deep breath to calm herself for the butterflies that seemed to be present in her stomach right then. Seeing him again brought up every emotion she had for him when they were together at Guantanamo Bay, except now they were just a man and woman alone together. "Hey."

"Hey." Leonard didn't know what else to say at the moment, his surprise was so complete.

Penny nodded, then looked at her hands, she was scared, she wanted him so badly and she didn't know if she could take it if he rejected her. "I'm sorry about the last month. I guess I have some problems." The sadness in her voice was evident.

"Nothing to be sorry about." Leonard tried to comfort her, she seemed upset.

"Yeah there is. We would have been here a week earlier, but I had to see the shrink everyday for the two weeks, before they would let me go, and even then the General pulled some strings for me." Penny confessed.

Leonard got concerned, "Penny what is wrong."

"Me Leonard, I'm stupid." She quickly responded, her voice cracking with every word.

"No Penny you're not stupid." He tried to defend her from her own words.

"No I am. The shrink said we all had cases of PTSD and mine was the worse. Amy and Bernadette were overcoming theirs by planning their futures, school and everything, they were fixing themselves. Me though, I was sinking deeper, until I had a life line thrown to me, falling in love with you, but then I threw that away too." She was almost crying now.

Leonard looked at her stunned, did he actually hear her right? She was still not looking at him, just at her hands, which she kept rubbing together, and it broke his heart to see her this way. Leonard walked up to her and took her by the shoulders to lift her up to a standing position, she offered no resistance. "Penny, you know I love you too."

If there was anything that could break the dam that held back her tears those three words where the ones. Penny wrapped her arms around Leonard's neck and just sobbed on his shoulder. She had been terrified to tell him truth, terrified of his rejection, she had never let her feelings be laid bare to a man and now he just proved how special he was, he took her fear and turned it to happiness. Between sobs she whispered, "Leonard I love you."

Leonard just returned her words, not knowing what else to say that would be better, "I love you too."

They were out in the hall just holding each other until Penny's sobs turned to whimpers and then finally she just became quiet as she hung on to him. It was during this quiet time, she started to talk again, "I heard you were looking for a roommate." she said quietly, hoping she wasn't pushing herself on him too much.

Leonard was surprised, but quickly warmed to the idea of her living with him, "Yeah, I was, until now." He felt Penny pull herself tighter to him and he squeezed her a little tighter. "Do you want to see your new apartment?" he finally said to her.

Penny lifted off of him and just looked at him biting her lip and nodding, "I'd like that."

Leonard effortlessly picked up her duffle bag, and she saw he had obviously been working out like she had taught him. "So still hitting the gym, I see." Penny now checked out his body stopping for a second on his cute ass, as she followed him in the apartment and looked around.

"Yeah, you sort of got me into the habit and you know how habits are hard to break. I also jog every other day." Leonard confessed as he closed the door behind them.

Penny smiled and continued to look around the apartment a big smile coming to her face, "You really are a nerd, aren't you." she giggled.

"Not just a nerd, I am King of the Nerds." Leonard said proudly

Penny now laughed out loud at how cute he was acting. "So what does being King of the Nerds, mean." she teased.

"Well if you piss me off, I won't set up your printer and I have magical powers to drive off all pretty girls." He replied with a smile.

Penny walked up to him and put her arms around his neck. "I'm glad those powers don't work on me." Penny loved him, they had become best friends while at Guantanamo Bay and found something deeper between them a closeness she never felt with any other man. But now Penny wanted to take their relationship physical, she had dreamed of this moment with him ever since she found she cared for him. Penny brought her lips to his, and it was like the Fourth of July, she immediately became hungry for him and as their mouths smashed against each other, their tongues found each other, Penny now crushing her body against him like she did her mouth only moments before. Penny had one hand on his back pulling him close while the other was in his hair, running through his soft locks, she was loosing herself and it was the greatest feeling in the world.

Neither of them knew how long they kissed, but finally they separated and stared at each other, only inches apart, their noses brushing against each other. They were both panting and Penny thought she couldn't be any more aroused, without screaming and tearing his clothes off. She whispered to him again, "Leonard, people have told me I'm aggressive in bed when I want something. Sweetie, please forgive me, but I want you." Penny then clamped her mouth over his again as her hands started to strip him and herself. She had them both nude in no time and as she resumed kissing him, she practically climbed on him as soon as she found he was ready.

Leonard cradled her ass as she jumped up on him her arms around his neck and legs locked around his body, him easily sliding into her. With her in his arms, he carried her to the bedroom, and except for a pizza and drinks they ordered several hours later, they never left the bedroom that night. It was the next morning when they woke up late, around noon, both holding each other tight, their bodies intertwined with each other. Penny never realized how amazing sex could be with someone you loved, it was like her friend Katie had once told her, love gave you a special connection with the person that made everything more intense and wonderful. Penny thought about Katie, and said a silent prayer for her friend, hoping that her soul was content.

Leonard actually woke up after her, to find her looking at him, a big smile on her face as she quickly kissed him as soon as his eyes opened fully. "Good morning to you too, sunshine." he teased her.

Penny giggled, "Sorry, I couldn't help looking at you. You look so cute sleeping, it took all my willpower not to wake you up."

"No problem, I love being woken up by kisses." he smiled back at her.

Penny giggled again and then she had a sly smile form on her lips, "That is not how I would have woke you up." she wiggled her eyebrows as her eyes moved down to his waist.

Leonard tried to give her his best fake shocked look, "Penny you are insatiable!" then he broke down chuckling.

Penny gave him a pout, sticking her lower lip out, "I told you Sweetie, I had a problem with guys I was hot over. Is that going to be a problem."

Leonard smiled and shook his head, "No, that is no problem at all."

Penny smiled, "Good." Then she practically climbed on top of him, her mouth quickly finding his.

It was an hour later when they both came out of the bedroom both wearing one of Leonard's two robes, the one she had being very thin and oversized on her. "Honestly you don't have pajamas or a robe?"

"Nope, Marines travel light, I would sleep in my panties and a t-shirt and I didn't use a robe because I was in my own room with shower." Penny then looked at him, "Though sometimes at Guantanamo Bay it got really hot, so I would sleep nude on top of the sheets." She bit her lip as she watched him.

Leonard just stared at her and sighed, she was beautiful and the thought of her nude on a bed, immediately popped into his mind. "Umm….What about when you had guys over."

Penny got serious and walked the couple of steps to him, putting her arms around his neck. "I only slept with one guy there, and I had to be drunk and lonely to do that. It was a big mistake, so I didn't hook up with anyone else while I was there. I was fine with no one, until you came along." Penny swallowed, "You sort of swept me off my feet, I never knew anyone like you and I never got to know a person without sex somehow being involved. It was new for me, different and so much better, I fell in love with you, the person." Penny then kissed him, slowly separating from his lips and smiling, "It is just icing on the cake that the sex is so awesome too, like the guy." Penny gave him another kiss then turned to go into the kitchen area, "So where is the coffee and what is there to eat. You just bed me, so now you have to feed me." she teased.

Leonard just smiled, he never met someone so adorable in his life. "I have bagels and pretty good coffee, plus some fruit, I think" He then headed over to the kitchen to get things out for them to eat. Penny quickly got up, from the stool she had sat in, to help him, making everything take longer as she used every opportunity to rub against him, and distracted him when she let the tie on her robe come undone, he knew on purpose. Her teasing with the robe continued while they ate, when they cleaned up their breakfast mess, even to the point she still hadn't tied it back when they sat down at the couch to finish their coffee.

"You're going to torture me all afternoon aren't you." Leonard finally said to her.

Penny smirked, "Why Dr Hofstadter, I have no idea what you are talking about." she responded.

"Oh you don't." Leonard then put his coffee down and slipped his hand under her open robe, rubbing it across her breasts which were half way out already.

Penny shivered, and looked at him. "Now you did in Leonard." Penny then quickly swung herself over so she was in his lap straddling his legs facing him. Giggling at the surprised expression on his face as she immediately ground her crotch into his. It took only seconds to get the response she wanted and in one swift motion she lifted herself up enough to open his robe and slide herself down on him. The feeling was incredible to her and she closed her eyes and moaned in pleasure, before she brought her lips to his. They kissed for several minutes while Penny just sat in Leonard's lap, Leonard's manhood buried deep inside her, filling her up.

Penny's kissing him, now caused her a problem, it felt amazing being connected to him and she was so turned on she almost couldn't stand it. However her lips were now on his and she loved kissing him, both their tongues gently exploring each others mouths, added to that, his hands on her back rubbing it and Penny pressing herself as close to him as she could get. Penny was loosing track of reality and Leonard became the only thing in her world, his mouth on hers, the feeling of him deep inside her and their bodies pressed tightly against each other.

Penny adored this man, they had gotten so close over the months, her falling in love with him without any real physical relationship, she had been wanting this for so long. It was so amazing being with him now, better than she ever imagined, maybe it was true having sex with someone you love was actually making love, because that is what it felt like. Penny let go with no reservations, she was his and she couldn't be happier, she wanted this for the rest of her life. Penny ground her core into his crotch as she revisited his mouth with hers, pressing herself as close to him as she could physically get, giving herself to him totally.

It was much later when Penny finally rested, still in Leonard's lap, not wanting to loose the intimate contact they shared, she didn't know how long they made love on the couch, but both of them were now relaxed in each others arms and happy. The next half hour they just stayed on the couch and cuddled, Penny still in his lap but without him inside her. They couldn't seem to get enough of kissing each other, either long deep kisses or small quick kisses as they would talk to each other between each of their kisses. It was during one of those breaks that they were rubbing noses and giggling at each other they heard the commotion in the hall outside the apartment.

"YOU GUYS DOING ALRIGHT!" Bernadette shouted at the two guys helping them as her and Amy led the way with the boxes they had, to the fifth floor.

Penny looked towards the door, then back at Leonard, "That's Bernadette's voice." Then got up and went to the door, opening it to see her two best friends and walking quickly to them to get a hug.

"WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, girl." Amy said while putting the box down and trying to prevent Penny from hugging her.

Penny stopped, surprised, "What's wrong?"

Bernadette nodded to Penny's robe, "Aren't you chilly?"

Penny looked down an blushed, she hadn't closed her robe for over an hour and had gotten so use to it being opened, her excitement to see the girls made her forget. "Sorry." was all she said as she brought the robe closed and tied the belt.

Amy took a step to hug her as soon as her robe was closed and Bernadette put her box down and joined her friends. "We were worried about you Penny." Amy told her.

"You were, I wasn't" Bernadette added, as she looked over at Leonard and gave him a wink.

Penny leaned back and looked at her friend, "You weren't?"

"Nope. You two are crazy about each other, you just needed to get together outside of the jail, so you could be together." Bernadette responded with a smile on her lips.

Penny smiled at her friend. "How long before you guys are going to be done, because we all need to have dinner together."

"Not long, we got some guys to help." Amy stood there smiling at Bernadette. Penny gave her a curious look and smile.

Bernadette just nodded, "You sure you too are up to it. Did you get enough sleep last night?" She looked at Penny in her robe. "You're not too tired from this afternoon?"

"We are fine." Penny said while she blushed, looking at Leonard who also was a little red.

"Yeah right." Bernadette looked at Leonard, "She didn't hurt you Leonard, did she."

Leonard chuckled and shook his head, "No, she was gentle with me."

Bernadette chuckled, "Yeah, I bet." Bernadette then looked at Penny, "We can be done in two hours, and yes I want to go. I wouldn't miss this for the world, finally getting to see you two outside the prison."

Amy added, "She is so right, I don't want to miss this either."

"But we are bringing the guys with us, they've been so good helping us and with all this sex talk, I know just the reward for them." Bernadette smiled at Penny.

"Plus they're civilians, fresh meat, we'll own their asses, tonight." Amy said with a giggle.

Just then Howard and Raj came up to the landing with boxes, Howard immediately seeing Penny only in a thin robe, obviously wearing little to nothing underneath. "Ummm, Hello." then he notice Leonard, "Hi Leonard."

Bernadette sighed, then unbuttoned the buttons of her shirt to the top of her bra, exposing all her cleavage outside her bra. She then turned to Howard, "Are you ready to get to those boxes upstairs, cutie?" she said with her sexiest voice.

Once Howard looked at Bernadette, his lock broke on Penny and immediately locked on Bernadette's cleavage. "Umm…Lead the way my lady." Howard never looked back as he followed Bernadette up the stairs like a puppy.

Amy was in tight jeans, which she knew flattered her ass, so she bent down to pick up her box making sure her jeans slid down to the top of the crack of her ass. It only took a second for Raj to lock on as he followed her up, giving Leonard and Penny a small wave goodbye. It was a second later they heard Bernadette's voice from the stairwell, "SEE YOU IN A COUPLE!"

Penny looked back at Leonard, who was shaking his head and chuckling, making her unable to keep an amused smile off her face, "Do you know them?"

Leonard chuckled, "Yes, I hate to admit it, but they are my friends."

Penny now giggled, "You know Amy and Bernadette are going to have their way with them, then probably throw them to the curb with smiles on their faces and bite marks on their asses."

"I bet they won't mind….wait a minute, bite marks on their asses!" Leonard looked at her surprised.

Penny smirked, "Sweetie you are so right about me being gentle with you."

Leonard took her hand to lead her back into the apartment. "Should I be worried?"

Penny could tell he was teasing, "I'm not sure, you have been working out, so maybe you will survive."

Leonard smiled, "Maybe I should rethink this roommate thing, then", he teased.

Penny put her arms around his neck and kissed him, whispering, "Too late you already agreed, so you are stuck with me."

"Okay." He then gave her a kiss that lasted longer than he originally intended.

When they broke, Penny just looked at him with dilated eyes. "I can get ready in under 10 minutes, you know being an ex-Marine and all. That gives us almost two hours till we need to go." She was biting her lip again, Bernadette was right, she was a little aggressive with someone she wanted and she wanted him for the rest of her life.

Leonard smiled at her, then brought his forehead to hers and closed his eyes as he wrapped her into his arms, she melted against him. "You're sure you want to do this again? We will need at least a half hour for our shower before we go."

Penny's eyes were closed too, the only thing going through her mind was that she never wanted to leave his arms. "Well then, I suggest we take a bath, and we will probably need to start that right now." She giggled, then turned serious. "I love you Leonard, I knew that before you left and the last 24 hours have only made me love you more." She then started to whisper. "I'm not as strong as you think, I have completely fallen for you and I'm sorry but I will love you forever."

Leonard kissed her nose, "I promise to love you forever and be with you for just as long." Leonard watched her eyes opened and she just stared at him, just before her mouth came crashing into his, only a moment later. They were late for dinner that evening.

**Epilogue**

Penny sat in the cafeteria eating her bagel and drinking decaf coffee, while Amy was telling them about this new guy she met named Zack, who was according to her, hung like a horse. Bernadette giggled and Penny chuckled, shaking her head as she flipped another page in her Psychology text book. Penny was in her last year of grad school for her Masters and already had a part time job lined up as a therapist in a local family therapy center. The last four years had flown by and she couldn't believe that she only had these two more semesters before she would have her Masters. She looked at her two friends who were both in Doctorate programs and smiled as she realized how far they all had come.

Penny watched as Bernadette giggled at Amy's description of her boyfriend Zack, while at the same time playing with the wedding ring on her hand, she had been married only six months now to Howard and they still acted like newlyweds every time they were together. Penny then watched Amy closely, she had been with Zack for a year now and Penny could tell it was getting real serious between them, Leonard telling her that Zack had already been asking him the best places to get engagement rings. Just thinking of Leonard made her smile, as Penny touched her own wedding ring, she was the old married woman of the group. She didn't know how it was possible to love a man more and more each day, but it still was a feeling she couldn't deny even after being married to him for almost four years.

Penny even smiled more as she moved her hand from her ring to her belly, there wasn't a bump there yet, after all it was only six weeks, but she felt she could feel the little life in her. The baby would come two months after she graduated and Penny couldn't be happier, the thought of having Leonard's babies making her proud beyond belief. Of course, Leonard's telling her constantly how amazing she was, and pampering the hell out of her, did tend to make everything even more exciting and wonderful. It was Bernadette shaking her hand that finally broke her out of her happy thoughts. "Huh?"

"Penny do you even pay attention in class or are you always going to that happy place where you and Leonard live in a shoe and have more children then you know what to do with?" Bernadette giggled.

Penny fake glared at her friend. "I'm not that bad."

Amy chuckled, "You didn't even notice when I said Zack kept me up all night Saturday pleasuring me."

"That's because Leonard and Howard do that with us all the time." Bernadette blurted out. "Right Penny."

Penny ran her hand over he belly again. "Yeah, they are great."

Amy sighed, "Says the girl who is ecstatic over her husband putting a bun in her oven. Could Leonard do anything wrong right now?"

Penny smiled, "No, he is too perfect."

"Oh God." Amy acted like she was putting her finger in her mouth to gag.

"I don't know Amy, watching the way Leonard is treating her, is making me wonder if maybe having a baby isn't as bad as I thought." Bernadette said seriously.

"It must be the water." Amy said quietly, getting stares from both her friends.

"Says the girl who is expecting a guy who adores her to propose any day now." Bernadette teased. "So Penny how long before Amy gets her oven filled do you think it will be."

"I bet she is pregnant when she gets married." Penny teased, however she saw that Amy wasn't laughing. "Something wrong Sweetie."

Amy looked between her friends, then pulled the ring out of her pocket and put it on, both girls eyes going wide. "Amy you're engaged!"

Amy nodded, "And pregnant."

**THE END**


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